


I'm Baby

by hyperborean_quaintrelle



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Age Play, Bottom Steve Rogers, Daddy Kink, Dom Bucky Barnes, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Self-Indulgent, Top Bucky Barnes, daddy!Bucky, first few chapters are about establishing the headspace steve gets into and why, headpsace, hint of angst?, like for a second, little!steve, then it's pure fluff, then the s m u t begins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-02-10 20:35:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18667906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyperborean_quaintrelle/pseuds/hyperborean_quaintrelle
Summary: Steve closed the bathroom door behind him and splashed cold water on his face, looked at his reflection- told himself ‘pull yourself together Rogers.’And promptly burst into tears.The faucet was running and he could only hope it hid the sound of him sliding to the floor and curling up into a ball, pathetically rocking himself as he whimpered. This was no longer slipping. He fell. Hard. Into a place that was dark and not at all like the place he remembered. This place was scary and he was alone because Daddy didn’t want him anymore.***Steve Rogers is sometimes Stevie, sometimes Baby. No matter who he is, he's always been Bucky's.orSteve Rogers is a little and Bucky Barnes is his not always perfect Daddy.





	1. I'm Baby

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time trying to write one of my kinks through these two. (This story is inspired by a piece called daddy's princess, but I don't know who the author is so I can't give them proper credit. But look it up, it's a great story!) I hope you guys enjoy!

There was rarely a day where Steve Rogers didn’t have a plan.

He would wake up with purpose if not enthusiasm and would make a plan to get the most out of his day. When Bucky finally came home from Wakanda, secure enough in the knowledge that the trigger words had been unprogrammed from his brain to agree to stay with Steve, that purpose usually revolved around making a home for Bucky to feel comfortable in.

But that day Steve woke up adrift.

Steve didn’t have any missions in the foreseeable future after they’d defeated Thanos. He and Bucky had woken up together, still on their respective sides of the bed, but drawing comfort from having the other near. (Bucky still worried about nightmares when he slept and worried he would hurt Steve. Steve knew he could handle whatever Bucky’s demons could throw at him, but wouldn’t rush him.) Bucky had offered to make breakfast, and Steve had said yes.

It should’ve been an ordinary day, but it wasn’t.

Steve was restless. Something itched beneath his skin and his mind ran itself in circles with what ifs and doubts and just a vague sense of unease that left him quieter than normal.

***

Bucky noticed something was wrong, had an idea what was going on, but only asked, ‘You okay Stevie?’

“‘M fine Buck.” Steve brushed it off easily, probably thinking he was saving Bucky from the burden of what was bothering him. He always was trying to save Bucky, much to his amazement and frustration.

Bucky just watched- knowing that there was nothing he could say or do that would get through to Steve until he inevitably crashed.

***

As the day went on it just got worse, and worse. Steve could feel himself slipping. Usually he could hold himself back. Tuck that part of him away in a box marked ‘shit that needs to be left in the 40’s’ in the back of his mind. Usually it was easy. He could talk himself out of it. _No one’s going to be able to look after you if you let go, you’ll be all alone. And it’ll hurt._ But talking to himself did nothing today. He could feel it growing in him. A need to be small. It had been so long. Before the ice, before Bucky fell. It had been more than a century since he had last let those parts of him out.

 _Bucky’s here now. He’ll look after you._ A little voice in his head whispered, and he stiffened. There was no way he could put this on Bucky. Not after all he’d been through.

He got up from the couch from where he and Bucky had settled in for the evening, watching some netflix cooking show, and muttered an excuse about needing to go to the bathroom.

***

Bucky watched him but said nothing. He had a feeling that Steve would reach his breaking point soon, and he was ready- as he always would be, to pick up the pieces of his best guy.

***

Steve closed the bathroom door behind him and splashed cold water on his face, looked at his reflection- told himself ‘pull yourself together Rogers.’

And promptly burst into tears. The faucet was running and he could only hope it hid the sound of him sliding to the floor and curling up into a ball, pathetically rocking himself as he whimpered. This was no longer slipping. He fell. Hard. Into a place that was dark and not at all like the place he remembered. This place was scary and he was alone because _Daddy didn’t want him anymore._

_***_

Bucky paced outside the bathroom door, not wanting to get his timing wrong and risk having Steve close up even more. But when he heard the quiet sobbing from the other side of the door he couldn’t wait any longer.

Steve was curled up on the floor, crying like he hadn’t in years.

“Oh baby you’ve been fighting all day haven’t you?” Bucky’s words were so soft, knowing damn well how sensitive his Stevie was when he got like this.

“Daddy,” Steve whimpered and Bucky knew he had finally given in. Bucky’s memories were spotty at best, but he could never forget the days spent in their ratty little apartment in Brooklyn- Steve confessing that he felt little sometimes, days when Steve would regress and Bucky would become Daddy to take care of his baby. He had been trying to respect the fact that Steve seemed to want to pretend like it never happened, but he’d guessed something had to give.

“That’s right baby, Daddy’s here.” He sat on the floor of their super soldier adapted bathroom and pulled Stevie onto his lap. Wrapped his arms around his boy like he knew Stevie liked. “I should’ve known I couldn’t leave you alone so long, you need Daddy with you don’t you?”

“Need Daddy. Don’ go.” Stevie could barely put words together, and Bucky wasn’t surprised. He didn’t act like Steve anymore. If Bucky was right about his guess then this wasn’t Steve, or even Stevie. This was Bucky’s Baby.

“Daddy’s not going anywhere doll. Daddy’s right here.”

***

Daddy still wanted him.

It was like all the dark and scary things in his head melted away, and he was left warm and full of light when he heard his Daddy’s words. His Daddy was here. That’s what mattered.

“Baby, Daddy. I’m Baby.” He said, in a voice so much smaller than his regular one, and he felt his brain go all fuzzy and quiet and soft like it always did when he was this small.

“That’s right. Daddy’s precious little baby.” Bucky said in that voice that made Stevie feel all warm inside.

“I love you Daddy.” Stevie said, and meant it with all his heart. As Steve he loved Bucky for his bravery and resilience, his brilliance and his warm heart. But as Baby he loved his Daddy for always being there to chase the shadows away.

“I love you too baby, Daddy won’t leave you alone ever again.” His Daddy promised him, and Stevie trusted him without question.

Steve Rogers always had a plan, but Baby always had his Daddy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky puts his baby down for nap and has some thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> special thanks to @kianisabitch and @rlev97 for being wonderful beta's for this story!

“Come on Baby, come to Daddy.” Bucky’s voice was deep and soothing- everything that made Stevie feel soft and warm and small inside. 

Stevie was across the room, playing with the multitude of toys they could now afford on their salaries as Avengers, but when he heard his Daddy call his reaction was immediate. 

“Dada,” Steve spoke in a soft, sweet voice as he got on all fours and crawled across the soft white carpet of their new place. A cute old brownstown in the middle of Brooklyn, the place that would always be their home. Bucky had made sure it would keep his babies knees from hurting as Stevie knelt and crawled often. 

They had flowers growing on the fire escape and vines clung to the brick. The building felt like home. 

“That’s right baby, come to Dada.” Bucky encouraged, patting his lap as Stevie crawled a little faster- wanting so very much to be on his Daddy’s lap, curled up safe and sound. 

“Up, daddy, up.” Stevie whimpered when he knelt right in front of Bucky, raising his arms as his soft pink lips drew into a pout. 

“Precious little thing,” It was a low murmur as Bucky picked Stevie up effortlessly, placing him on his lap. 

“Daddy,” Stevie said quietly, and tucked his head under his daddy’s chin. Stevie loved these days, when he was smaller than usual, just a soft baby that needed to be held and coddled. 

“My baby,” Bucky said. His strong arms were wrapped around Stevie and he felt so tiny on his lap. His daddy was always so big, and always made him feel so small. And that’s how it should be. Babies needed big strong daddies to take care of them, and Stevie had the biggest, strongest Daddy in the whole wide world. 

“Wan’ my binkie daddy.” Stevie small voice was shy, he always got bashful about asking for what he wanted when he was this small. Bucky just looked at him like he was the most precious thing in the world.

“Of course baby. Anything my little one wants.” It wasn’t often Stevie was this small, so when he was Bucky always spoiled him by giving him anything and everything he asked for. 

The binkie Bucky always kept in the drawer of the table besides their cuddling chair, as Stevie liked to call it, was baby blue. It was Stevie’s favorite. Bucky held the binkie to Stevie’s lips and smiled, a warm gentle smile. 

“Open for daddy baby.” Stevie parted his lips with a giggle and took the binkie into his mouth, sucking on it rhythmically and settling down onto Bucky’s lap. His binkie always made him sleepy. It was soothing and being in his Daddy’s arms made it all the better. 

“My little sleepy prince.” Bucky murmured gently as he stroked Stevie’s hair. Stevie’s eyes were already starting to droop. He’d been playing all afternoon and Bucky had noticed the little yawns his baby had tried to hide. 

“‘M not seepy,” Stevie mumbled around his binkie, stubborn till the end like always.

“Of course not sweetheart, just rest with Daddy and then you can play when you’re ready.” Bucky smirked as Stevie nuzzled further into Bucky’s chest, finding it adorably frustrating how hard it was to put Stevie down for a nap.

Like he expected, Steve was out in less than half an hour. The binkie dangled from his lips precariously so Bucky attached the clip that would keep it from getting lost while his baby slept. 

It didn’t matter that Steve now weighed easily four times his original weight, Bucky could carry him with one arm to the nursery where his crib was waiting. Once Stevie was settled in, clutching his blankie in his fist and surrounded by his stuffies, Bucky headed to the kitchen to start making dinner. He knew his baby always woke up hungry for something after his afternoon snack.

As he got started on making food that worked as both a source of nutrition and enough cheese and other tasty things to keep his baby happy, Bucky thought about how far they’d come.

At first, Steve would be so ashamed every time he came out of his little headspace. He’d avoid Bucky for days. No matter how many times Bucky tried to explain that taking care of him in any capacity was an honor, Steve would stubbornly refuse to talk about their playtime. 

When Bucky had come back from Wakanda he had noticed the way Steve seemed to run himself ragged. Always running away from himself, in Bucky’s opinion. It had only been a week ago that Steve had finally let go and let Bucky take care of him. 

Since then things hadn’t been perfect, but they were getting better. Steve wasn’t ashamed anymore. After all he and Bucky had been through, it was hard to feel shame between them. No one alive understood them better than each other.

All of the other avengers were taking their own little vacations after the defeat of Thanos, so he and steve had simply taken their time to get back into a routine. Some days Steve would be big, and he and Bucky would relax and just.. Be. 

Other days Steve would be Stevie, a big boy at 2 years old who loved to play and explore. Bucky loved taking care of Steve at that age. He was always so happy and free in a way Bucky hadn’t seen since before the war. 

It was only on special days, when Steve felt safe and brave enough to be baby. Then it was time for Bucky to enjoy how soft and sweet his baby was. He’d wrap baby’s little bottom in his diaper and button up his onesie before putting on either Dragon Tales or some cooking show to keep his baby entertained. 

Those days Bucky felt were the ones where he saw how much Steve needed this. He was so sensitive and gentle when he was Baby, and Bucky felt it was in the smallest voice that he was the most honest. 

If he needed Daddy that’s what he asked for. If something upset him he didn’t cling to false stoicism, he cried. He let himself feel and experience the world in a way that Bucky was so proud to be able to bear witness to. 

It was Stevie's faint cries from the nursery that brought Bucky out of his thoughts. He set down the mac and cheese and broccoli on the table before going to get his baby. 

What mattered at the end of the day was that no matter the reason, Bucky had his baby back. And he would do his best to take care of Steve and be everything he needed. 

In a way, after Hydra took everything from him and turned him into a killing machine, being able to tend to his baby gave him something he thought he’d never have again. Gentleness. Love. 

Being able to be Daddy and Baby… it healed them both.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think! xoxo


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